Kings News

KINGS SELECT SEVEN, MAKE TRADES

OTTAWA/LOS ANGELES – Defenseman Viatcheslav Voynov was the first of seven players selected by the Los Angeles Kings (second-round, 32nd overall) in Saturday’s second and final day of the 2008 NHL Entry Draft in Ottawa. The Kings also acquired forward Brad Richardsonfrom the Colorado Avalanche during Saturday’s draft.

Voynov, 18, spent the last two seasons with Traktor Chelyabinsk of the Russian Hockey League. Last season the 6-0, 190-pound native of Chelyabinsk, Russia had four points (1-3=4), 20 penalty minutes and had a plus-3 rating in 36 games. Voynov was the youngest member of Team Russia at the 2007 World Junior Championship and competed again for Russia in 2008. He was also member of the silver medal-winning Team Russia at the 2008 IIHF Under-18 World Championship, posting five points in six games (1-4=5) and was named to the All-Star team.

Richardson was acquired from Colorado in exchange for Los Angeles’ other second-round pick (61st overall selection). Richardson, 23, spent parts of the last three seasons with Colorado. Last season he netted five points (2-3=5) and eight penalty minutes in 22 games with Colorado and 40 points (14-26=40) and 18 penalty minutes in 38 games for the American Hockey League’s Lake Erie Monsters. Richardson led Lake Erie in points-per-game (1.05) and tied for second with 20 power-play points. In 136 career NHL games, all with Colorado, he’s posted 40 points (19-21-40) and 48 penalty minutes. The native Belleville, Ontario was selected by the Avalanche in the fifth round (163rd overall) in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft.

In the third round, the Kings selected forwards Robert Czarnik and Geordie Wudrick as well as defenseman Andrew Campbell. Czarnik, the 63rd overall selection in the draft, posted 30 points (15-15=30) and 28 penalty minutes in 49 games in the United States Under-18 Development Program (USDP) last season. The 6-0, 178-pound, 18-year-old native of Detroit is slated to attend the University of Michigan this fall.

“It’s a great honor and I’m happy to be chosen by the Kings,” Czarnik said from Ottawa on LAKings.com. “I consider myself more of a two-way player with good skating ability. I just need to work on moving the puck a little quicker getting it to my teammates faster.”

Campbell, 20, was acquired by the Kings from the Buffalo Sabres as the 74th overall selection in exchange for Los Angeles’ 81st (third round) and 101st (fourth round) picks. The 6-1, 208 pound native of Caledonia, Ontario spent the last three seasons in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) with the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds. Last season Campbell notched 35 points (13-22=35), 64 penalty minutes and had a plus-20 rating in 68 regular season games. His 35 points and plus-20 rating both ranked second among Sault St. Marie defensemen. In 14 postseason games, he had five points (2-3=5) and 13 penalty minutes.

“I’m a defensive defenseman and like to take care of my own end first,” Campbell said on LAKings.com. “I play with a lot of heart and character, which is important to me. And I’ll do anything to help the team win.”

Geordie Wudrick was selected by the Kings' 88th overall.

Wudrick, 18, spent the last three seasons in the Western Hockey League (WHL) with the Swift Current Broncos. Last season, the 6-3, 204-pound native of New Westminster, British Columbia recorded 44 points (20-24=44), 72 penalty minutes and had a plus-10 rating in 66 regular season games. In 12 postseason games, he had seven points (5-2=7) and 12 penalty minutes.

“I’m a bigger guy, can skate well and have good hands. I like to take pride in my all-around game,” Wudrick said on LAKings.com. “I’m going to bring lots of energy and a good work ethic and want to make a splash in training camp.”

In the fifth round, the Kings selected 18-year-old forward Andrei Loktionov as the 123rd overall choice. The 5-11, 187-pound native of Voskresensk, Russia was teammates with Voinov for silver medal-winning Team Russia at the 2008 IIHF Under-18 World Championship, posting eight points (3-5=8) and 29 penalty minutes in six games. Loktionov was also a member of Team Russia at the 2007 IIHF Under-18 World Championship, registering six points (2-4-6) and a plus-4 rating in seven games.

Vjateslav Voinov was the 32nd pick of the NHL Draft and the first of seven for Los Angeles on Saturday.

In the sixth round, the Kings selected forward Justin Azevedo as the 153rd overall selection. Azevedo, 20, spent the last four seasons in the OHL with the Kitchener Rangers. Azevedo was named the OHL’s Most Outstanding Player last season after posting a league-high 124 points, 81 assists and 56 power-play assists. He was seventh in the OHL with 43 goals, had an overall rating of plus-24 and was named to the OHL All-Star Team. The 5-7, 183 pound native of West Lorne, Ontario also led the OHL with 36 postseason points and tied for first with 26 playoff assists. Kitchener lost to the Spokane Chiefs in the Memorial Cup Finals.

The Kings made their final selection in the seventh round when thy chose forward Garret Roe as the 183rd overall pick. Roe, 20, spent last season, his freshman year, at St. Cloud State where he notched 45 points (18-27=45) and 55 penalty minutes in 39 games. The 5-8, 160-pound native of Vienna, Va. played the three previous years in Juniors for the United States Hockey League’s (USHL) Indiana Ice.

Besides acquiring Richardson from Colorado and the 74th overall pick from Buffalo, the Kings made three more trades to acquire draft picks in 2009 and 2010. Los Angeles traded the 92nd overall pick (fourth round) to the Sharks for San Jose’s fourth-round selection in 2009 and fifth-round selection in 2010. The Kings also traded the 179th overall pick (sixth round) to Chicago for the Blackhawks’ sixth-round selection in 2009. Los Angeles closed out the draft by sending the 185th overall pick (seventh round) to St. Louis for the Blues’ seventh-round selection in 2009.

Kings broadcaster Daryl Evans reported for LAKings.com from Ottawa throughout the Draft. Check out the website (www.lakings.com/draft08) for exclusive content. To see the Kings all-time draft selections, visit www.lakings.com/alltimedraft.